Design, Fabrication And Performance Evaluation Of Pedal Operated Groundnut Decorticator

2.7.2    Maize Dehusker-cum Sheller: 
Shows a schematic diagram of maize dehusker-cum sheller.  They are two types namely spike-tooth type and axial type.  In the spike-tooth type sheller, pegs are staggered at varying height for better shelling efficiency.   The spikes are laced in 6 rows with 6 spikes in each row.  The sieves have 1.25cm diameter opening to separate the shelled maize from husk.  In axial flow type threshers, pegs are provided on the cylinder and louvers were provided on the upper periphery of the drum to convey the crop to outlet.  It is used for dehusking and shelling of maize cobs simultaneously.  
2.7.3:     Hand Maize Sheller
Hand maize sheller (fig 2.2).  It is a manually operated simple device to remove maize grains from the dehusked cobs.  The sheller is of octahedral shape.  The sheller consists of 4-mild steel fins tapered along their lengths, one edge of the fin is taper.  The sheller has four tapered projections inside the sheller body that accomplishes removal of the grain from the maize cob.  For operation, the cob is inserted in the sheller and is given forward and backward twist or given clockwise and anticlockwise strokes respectively.  The tapered edges of the fins dig into the space between the rows of the grains in the cob and with the forward or backward stroke the grains are released from the cobs.  After grains are separated from one end of cob, the other end is inserted in the sheller to complete the removal of grains from cob.  It used for shelling of dehusked maize cobs.